A Ghanaian pastor who claimed in a viral TikTok video that he had seen a vision of popular dancehall artiste Shatta Wale being assassinated has been dragged before the Dansoman Circuit Court on charges of publishing false news.
Reverend Daniel Yaw Donkoh, also known as D.Y. Donkoh, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Basit, granted him bail in the sum of GH¢20,000 with three sureties, one of which must be justified.
The sensational case, which has drawn widespread attention on social media and beyond, will continue on August 27, 2025, for a Case Management Conference.
“A family man, not a threat
Donkoh’s lawyer urged the court to grant bail, describing the pastor as a responsible family man with four children and a permanent place of residence at Israel, Tabora in Accra.
He is also the founder of a church in the same area.
The defence counsel argued that Donkoh had cooperated fully with the police and had no intention of interfering with the ongoing investigation.
As part of his bail conditions, the accused is required to report to the police once every two weeks.
Shatta Wale ‘living in fear’ after video
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye, the complainant in the case is none other than Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., popularly known as Shatta Wale. The well-known musician and businessman resides in East Legon, Accra.
On July 21, 2025, Shatta Wale’s public relations manager, Sammy Baah Atuobi, also known as Sammy Flex, lodged a complaint with the police.
He reported that on the previous day, July 20, the team had come across a disturbing video on TikTok in which Pastor Donkoh claimed to have received a divine vision of the musician being gunned down by three armed men.
The video quickly went viral, sparking widespread panic among the artiste’s inner circle and fans.
“The complainant has since been traumatised and is living in fear,” Chief Inspector Aboagye told the court.
Angry fans, police intervention
The situation intensified when police received intelligence that some aggrieved fans of Shatta Wale were planning to storm Donkoh’s church in retaliation.
Officers quickly proceeded to the church, located in Tabora Alhaji, to prevent any disturbances and invited the pastor for questioning.
Efforts to initially reach Donkoh had been unsuccessful, as he reportedly failed to respond to police contact attempts.
It was only after the threat of fan retaliation that the authorities were able to engage him directly.
During the course of the investigation, Donkoh admitted to posting the video on his TikTok page, stating that he did so in order to get Shatta Wale’s attention.
The bigger picture: Prophecies and public safety
The case brings into sharp focus the growing trend of prophetic declarations involving public figures in Ghana—particularly those made on social media platforms like TikTok.
While some regard these as religious expressions, others see them as dangerous alarmism that can provoke fear and public unrest.
For Shatta Wale, this is not the first time his name has surfaced in prophetic controversies.
In 2021, he staged a fake shooting incident in response to a similar death prophecy, leading to his own arrest and prosecution.
The outcome of this latest legal battle may set another precedent for how Ghana’s justice system balances freedom of expression with public safety and the mental well-being of individuals named in such prophecies.
For now, Pastor D.Y. Donkoh remains free on bail, but the weight of his words—and their consequences—will continue to reverberate until the case resumes in court next month.
